Friday, January 15, 2021
Fri-Yay: What Does the Future Hold for Sitcoms on Streaming Services?; Disney+ Has Its Teenage Doogie Howser

by Vincent
On January 1, the unthinkable happened: The Office, arguably Netflix's biggest hit of its acquired collection, was removed from the service. Of course, it wasn't unthinkable, exactly: Netflix first announced this would be happening nearly two years ago, after NBC claimed exclusive rights for the program for its budding streaming service Peacock. But it was still a major blow that caused a lot of outcry on social media. As we enter the next phase of the streaming era - which finds networks and studios increasingly making their own, separately priced streaming services and pulling their content off of where it was previously - it begs the question: will consumers follow their favorite shows, or will they find new shows instead?
It's still too soon to tell if The Office caused an uptick in subscribers for Peacock (which has been around since the summer, but easily has its biggest promotional push now that it has acquired arguably the biggest sitcom of the past 20 years.) But on social media, people aren't responding happy to see The Office in a new home, even with the enticement of extended cuts and deleted scenes. People are angry that their favorite sitcom has been taken away from them, and they seem to prefer venting on social media rather than signing up for Peacock. You might say, "why not just sign up for Peacock? It starts at 4.99/month." But to be fair, the amount of streaming service keeps piling up. To access the library you would've had access to on Netflix alone just 5 years ago, you'd have to sign up for Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, Disney+, and HBO Max. Now to add another steaming service to the mix - it's understandable why people are angry, or opting to buy The Office DVDs on Amazon instead (Amazon reported an increase in sales of them after The Office left Netflix.) Still, if Peacock (or any other competing service) continues to add more and more shows, is it possible people will cancel Netflix and migrate to it? The Netflix brand is very strong, so it's going to take a lot for that to happen. But then again, Netflix keeps losing more and more series, and the more studios and networks that make their own Netflix series, the smaller their library will get. That's why Netflix has bet so much on its original programming in recent years. But will that be enough? The streamer has had plenty of original hits, but nothing blockbuster to the level of Orange is the New Black or Stranger Things in a few years now. Plus, reports of viewing activity have shown that long-running network series like The Office tend to be the most popular shows on streaming services due to their place as "comfort TV," and Netflix - with its new policy of ending shows after 3 or 4 seasons (original sitcoms like One Day at a Time, Alexa & Katie, The Ranch, No Good Nick), and keeping seasons to 10 episodes or less - doesn't really make programming of that kind anymore. We'll see where the next few years and the splintering of streaming services leaves sitcoms, but for now, I suggest finding your favorite sitcoms on the streaming services you have and holding them tight. (Also, if you're a Netflix subscriber looking for a show to replace The Office, might I suggest Community?)
Genius. Doctor. Teenager. Peyton Elizabeth Lee has been cast in the leading role as Doogie Kamealoha, M.D., an all-new Disney+ Original Series. Doogie Kameāloha, M.D., a re-imagining of the popular ABC series Doogie Howser, M.D., has been picked up to series, as we previously mentioned. Kourtney Kang (Fresh Off the Boat, How I Met Your Mother) is set to write and executive produce for 20th Television. Set in modern-day Hawaii, the 10-episode comedy follows Lahela "Doogie" Kameāloha, a mixed race 16-year-old girl, juggling a budding medical career and life as a teenager. Guiding Lahela (and also complicating things) is her family, including her spit-fire Irish mother who's also her supervisor at the hospital, and her Hawaiian "Local Boy" father struggling to accept that his daughter is no longer his little girl. Stay tuned for a premiere date and much more!
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Friday, March 28
none scheduled
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of March 24)
Friday, March 28
- Walton Goggins (The Righteous Gemstones/The Unicorn/Vice Principals) - Watch Walton on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Mike Epps (The Upshaws/Uncle Buck/Survivor's Remorse) - Mike is a guest on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Selena Gomez (Only Murders in the Building/Wizards of Waverly Place) - Selena appears on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Nathan Lane (Mid-Century Modern/Only Murders in the Building/Modern Family/Charlie Lawrence/Encore! Encore!/One of the Boys) and Matt Bomer (Mid-Century Modern) - Nathan and Matt talk about Mid-Century Modern on ABC's The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Natasha Rothwell (How to Die Alone) - Natasha appeas on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- John Hodgman (Up Here/Married) - John is a guest on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am (delayed ET/CT due to NCAA basketball coverage) on CBS.
- Nathan Lane (Mid-Century Modern/Only Murders in the Building/Modern Family/Charlie Lawrence/Encore! Encore!/One of the Boys) and Matt Bomer (Mid-Century Modern) - Nathan and Matt talk about Mid-Century Modern on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
- Seth Rogen (The Studio/Platonic/Undeclared), Kathryn Hahn (The Studio/Tiny Beautiful Things/Central Park/Happyish/Transparent/Free Agents), Ike Barinholtz (The Studio/The Afterparty/Bless the Harts/The Mindy Project/Eastbound & Down) and Chase Sui Wonders (The Studio/Bupkis) - Seth, Kathryn, Ike and Chase talk about The Studio on The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Paul Rudd (The Shrink Next Door/Living with Yourself/Wild Oats) - Paul talks about Death of a Unicorn on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
- Keshia Knight Pulliam (Tyler Perry's House of Payne/The Cosby Show) - NBC's Today catches up with Keshia in the 9am hour.
- Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Café Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - Valerie is joining Drew and Ross to cover the latest news on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Connie Britton (SMILF/Lost at Home/The Fighting Fitzgeralds/Spin City) - Connie is telling Drew about her upcoming movie The Life List on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Beth Behrs (The Neighborhood/2 Broke Girls) - Beth is telling Drew about the latest season of the hit show The Neighborhood on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Chelsea Handler (Are You There, Chelsea?) - Chelsea talks about Netflix's Chelsea Handler: The Feeling on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
- Joanna Gleason (Bette/Oh Baby/Love & War/Hello, Larry) - Joanna talks about We Had a World on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:05am.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
11/05 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/12 - The King of Queens - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (2024 Release)
11/19 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fourteenth Season
11/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 4 (Blu-ray)
12/03 - Angel (1960-1961) - The Complete Series, Volume 1
12/17 - Seinfeld - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (4K UHD)
01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season
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